Despite their status as nutritional powerhouses, eggs are too often knocked down a notch by critics who claim their golden yolks are best avoided.
But before you whip up your next egg-white omelette, consider this: the yolks are home to all sorts of goodies that the whites alone are lacking.
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The bad reputation comes from the cholesterol in yolks, says Dr Catherine Shanahan, author of Deep Nutrition, why your genes need traditional food. Yes, there’s cholesterol in there, but, contrary to what we’ve previously been told, dietary cholesterol doesn’t seem to affect blood cholesterol, the type that clogs your arteries.
Plus, egg yolks are rich in unsaturated fats, including omega-3s, which fight inflammation and protect against heart disease, the biggest killer of Australian men. They’ve also got vitamin D and B12. Plus, brain-building choline and immune-boosting selenium—stuff you really don’t want to miss.
The American Heart Association used to recommend sticking to fewer than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol a day, but they’ve since decided there’s not enough scientific evidence to stand by that suggestion.
“I think you’d get fed up with eating eggs before you ate too many,” says Shanahan. Her tip: don’t overcook the yolks, or some of that dietary cholesterol can oxidise and become harmful rather than helpful.
And if you’re tired of your old morning fry-up, here are a few more outside the box (carton?) egg yolk ideas to consider.
